Epitaxial growth of zinc-blende AIN on Si(100) substrates by plasma source molecular beam epitaxy

Epitaxial zinc-blende AlN films were deposited on Si(100) substrates by plasma source molecular beam epitaxy (PSMBE). The lattice parameter of the zinc-blende AlN was determined to be 4.373Å. The epitaxial relationship between film and substrate was (100)AlN‖(100)Si and [011]AlN‖[011]Si. The zinc-blende AlN films were formed using a hollow cathode source with a pulse d.c. power supply in the PSMBE system. The high energy and large density of the Al+ and N+ species emerging from the hollow cathode and the presence of a substrate surface with cubic symmetry are probably the main factors for the formation of the metastable zinc-blende phase of AlN.